The average electricity consumption of a home depends on a number of factors, such as:
- home size
- number of inhabitants
- heating method and type of home
- electricity use habits
- age and condition of household appliances.
If a detached or semi-detached house or terraced house is heated with electricity, it is the key factor affecting electricity consumption. However, if you live in an apartment, the bathroom floor heating can consume a surprising amount of electricity.
Otherwise electricity is used on, for example, refrigerating appliances, home electronics, cooking and lighting.
Annual electricity consumption – examples of average consumption by type of home, and tips for saving
Electricity consumption in a one- or two-room apartment
If you live alone in an apartment, your electricity consumption is low, typically about 1,500 kWh a year. Two people in an apartment consume an average of 2,500 kWh a year.
Electricity saving tip: Bathrooms in apartments often have electric floor heating – paid by the tenant on their electricity bill. If its too hot, save electricity by adjusting the heating from the thermostat on the wall.
Electricity saving tip: Keep the bathroom door closed, so that the heat for drying the floor does not escape to the rest of the apartment.
Electricity consumption in a terraced house
A family of three, living in a terraced house using other than electric heating, consumes about 4,000 kWh a year. If they have electric heating, the figure is about 12,000 kWh.
Electricity saving tip: When refrigerating appliances need to refrigerate themselves as little as possible, they consume as little electricity as possible. Therefore, do not place a refrigerating appliance next to anything hot, such as a cooker. Use a thermometer to check that the appliances are not too cold: a suitable temperature for a fridge is plus 5 Celsius, while a freezer should be at minus 18 Celsius. Check also that the seals are intact, and replace them if not. Remember to defrost your freezer regularly.
Electricity saving tip: If you have electric heating, consider getting an air source heat pump. It is an effective way to heat your home and reduce your electricity bill. An air source heat pump is at its best when the temperature is a little above freezing in the spring and autumn: it can yield up to three- or four-fold the heat compared to the amount of electricity it consumes.
Electricity consumption in a detached house
When a home is heated by a means other than electricity, normal electricity consumption is about 5,000 kilowatt hours per year. A family of four living in a electrically heated detached house consumes approximately 19,000 kWh a year.
Electricity saving tip: If you reduce the room temperature in a house heating with electricity, your electricity consumption will go down by five per cent.
Electricity saving tip: Get an air-source heat pump as an additional home heater. For example, in a detached house that consumes 19,000 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, an air source heat pump can reduce the electricity bill by 500 to 800 euros per year.
Electricity consumption monitoring is handy in our Online service
As a Vaasan Sähkö customer, you can follow your electricity consumption in the Online service to the accuracy of one hour. (NB! At the moment the service is in Finnish and Swedish.) It can help you make smart choices in electricity use. It can show you clearly that, for example, your electricity consumption will spike the moment you turn on the oven. When you can see how much it consumes electricity, you might start using the excess heat more effectively in cooking.
You can also order an email report of your home’s electricity consumption from our Online service.
Get your consumption report for a period of your choice, such as weekly or monthly. This will help you to get an idea of what you are paying for.
Buying new electrical equipment?
Did you buy a high-performance computer, another freezer or an air source heat pump? Maybe you finally decided to get rid of the old washing machine and bought a new, energy-efficient model? Enter your electrical equipment purchases in the Online service and follow changes in your overall electricity consumption.
Electricity consumption of devices, and the electricity consumption calculator
Check the table below for monthly electricity consumption of various devices in average use and with average electricity prices.
Do take into account, however, that your electricity use may deviate considerably from average use. For example, if you use the sauna often, your energy consumption will be significantly higher.
If you want to know exactly how much your electrical appliances consume, simply take out your calculator: multiply the appliance’s power (kW) by the time it was used (h), and you’ll find out its consumption (kWh).
For example, if you are using a hairdryer (power 1000 W, or 1 kW) for 15 minutes (0.25 h), you consume 0.25 kWh.
